Crowbar (American band)

Origins (1988–1991)

The band dates back to 1988, when Kirk Windstein joined the New Orleans hardcore punk band ShellShock.^[2] He met Jimmy Bower, who was their drummer, and they quickly became friends. The band collapsed when Mike Hatch, their guitarist, committed suicide in late 1988 (some Pantera fans believe that this was the inspiration for the song "Hollow" from their 1992 album Vulgar Display of Power). The band hence replaced Hatch with Kevin Noonan and continued under the new name, Aftershock.^[3] Under that name they released a demo in mid-1989, and then renamed themselves again as Wrequiem, with their bassist Mike Savoie leaving the band and Todd Strange replacing him. They renamed themselves yet again in 1990 as The Slugs, and released a demo in mid-1990, but the band collapsed. Windstein considered becoming the guitarist for Texas-based groove metal band Exhorder but he and Strange reformed the band, with Craig Nunenmacher as the drummer, who was later replaced by Tommy Buckley from Soilent Green, and Kevin Noonan returned on guitar. The band renamed themselves Crowbar in mid-1991.^[4]

Career (1991–present)

Crowbar's debut studio album, Obedience Thru Suffering, was released in 1991, but failed to achieve significant sales or airplay. By 1993's self-titled (Crowbar) album, personal friend Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down and Superjoint Ritual) produced the record, which eventually led to national promotion on MTV's Headbanger's Ball. In addition, the videos for "All I Had (I Gave)" and "Existence is Punishment" were played on Beavis and Butt-head. Following this success the band went on to record music videos, embark on major tours with Pantera, and record more albums.

Their stage antics, immortalized in the Pantera Home Video 3 and Crowbar's Like Broken Glass home video, became infamous. The band continued recording and touring. In 1994, the Pantera video for the song "I'm Broken" showed Anselmo wearing a Crowbar / Eyehategod t-shirt. Original drummer Nunenmacher left the band in 1996 and was replaced by Bower from Down and Eyehategod, and for their 1996 release Anselmo sang back up on a few tracks on Broken Glass.

In 2000, after recording and releasing Equilibrium with Sid Montz on drums, original drummer Nunenmacher rejoined the band, for the "Penchant For Violence Tour" with "the Brotherhood of Brewtality" Black Label Society and Sixty Watt Shaman. Half way through the tour, Nunenmacher replaced BLS's drummer Phil Ondich and pulled double duty for the rest of the tour, eventually joining BLS permanently.

The band continues to perform, borrowing members from New Orleans metal bands like Goatwhore and Acid Bath. In their recent 2005 release, Lifesblood for the Downtrodden, Pantera bassist Rex Brown lent his bass skills and keyboard playing. Down's producer, Warren Riker, assisted in production.

Also in 2005, "Existence" appeared on the Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection No. 3 DVD.

On April 21, 2008, the albums Crowbar, Time Heals Nothing, and the Live+1 EP were reissued in Europe with bonus and multimedia tracks.^[5]

The band is also known for covering other band's material and putting a heavy spin on it. Crowbar covers Gary Wright's "Dream Weaver" on their Equilibrium album, Iron Maiden's "Remember Tomorrow" on Odd Fellows Rest, and Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter" on Crowbar.

On May 24, 2009 it was announced that Anselmo's Housecore Records would be re-releasing Crowbar's back catalog.

In December 2009, Crowbar toured with Hatebreed, The Acacia Strain, The Casualties, and Thy Will Be Done as part of the Stillborn Fest.

As of September 2010, Crowbar is currently under contract with E1 Music^[6] in North America, and Century Media in Europe, and released their ninth studio album, Sever the Wicked Hand, on February 8, 2011. This date is the 6th anniversary of the release of their previous album, Lifesblood for the Downtrodden.^[7] The band embarked on a six date UK tour in January 2011.

Bassist Pat Bruders left Crowbar ^[8] in September 2013. Bruders explained he wanted to focus on touring with Down. He tells Louder Than Hell, "It is better for all parties in Crowbar and in Down that I leave Crowbar. With Down's brutal tour schedule and overseas shows. It is better if I focus 100 percent of my time to Down. There are no hard feelings with my bandmates of Crowbar." Bruders was replaced by Jeff Golden, who formerly played with Six Feet Under, Thy Will Be Done and Goatwhore.^[9]

Crowbar entered the studio in late 2013 to begin recording "Symmetry in Black", which was released in North America on May 27, 2014 via E1 Music.^[10]

In May 2016, bassist Jeff Golden announced on his Facebook page that he had been fired from the band. He later joined Portland-based metal band, Lord Dying. Shortly after Golden's departure, Windstein announced that founding bassist Todd Strange would return to the band. In July 2018, Strange had retired from touring although he will remain a member of Crowbar.^[11] His final performance was at the Odd Fellows Rest 20th anniversary show on 4 August, 2018 - Shane Wesley is his live replacement and had already played on the summer European tour.^[12][13]

Timeline

• Crowbar Live @ Free & Easy Festival 2015
• 
  Kirk Windstein
• 
  Matt Brunson

Studio albums

• Obedience thru Suffering (September 26, 1991, Pavement Music)
• Crowbar (October 12, 1993, Pavement Music)
• Time Heals Nothing (May 23, 1995, Pavement Music)
• Broken Glass (October 29, 1996, Pavement Music)
• Odd Fellows Rest (July 7, 1998, Mayhem Records)
• Equilibrium (March 7, 2000, Spitfire Records)
• Sonic Excess in its Purest Form (August 21, 2001, Spitfire Records)
• Lifesblood for the Downtrodden (February 8, 2005, Candlelight Records)
• Sever the Wicked Hand (February 8, 2011, E1 Music)
• Symmetry in Black (May 26, 2014, Century Media Records)
• The Serpent Only Lies (October 28, 2016, E1 Music)

Live albums

• Live +1 EP (March 29, 1994, Pavement Music)

Demos

• Aftershock (1989, Self-released)
• The Slugs (1990, Self-released)

Music videos

• "Subversion" (1991)
• "All I Had (I Gave)" (1993)
• "Existence Is Punishment" (1993)
• "The Only Factor" (1995)
• "Broken Glass" (1996)
• "I Feel the Burning Sun" (2000)
• "Dead Sun" (2005) (Filmed in Miami, Florida around August 2004 and directed by John-Martin Vogel and Robert Lisman)
• "Lasting Dose" (live) (2005)
• "Planets Collide" (live) (2005)
• "Scattered Pieces Lay" (live) (2005)
• "Slave No More" (2005) (Filmed in Miami, Florida on June 21, 2005 and directed by John-Martin Vogel and Robert Lisman)
• "The Cemetery Angels" (2010)
• "Walk with Knowledge Wisely" (2014)
• "Symmetry In White" (2014)
• "Falling While Rising" (2016)

DVDs

• Like Broken (full-length home video, VHS) (1997)
• Live: With Full Force (DVD) (2007)